This week was so jam-packed that we had to cut the entire news segment, but don’t worry, we’ll get around to that in our next episode. Instead, we react to last week’s Oscar nominations with theories on everything from the race row, to the surprise Marion Cotillard inclusion, to the unexpected haul for “American Sniper”. We also review Clint Eastwood’s latest delight, as well as other nominated films, including musical drama “Whiplash,” and soul-searching adventure “Wild,” starring Cal’s favourite, Reese Witherspoon. We’re on board with a wine-quaffing Kevin Kline in Parisian jaunt “My Old Lady,” and Pete dishes all on Alicia Vikander’s received pronunciation in wartime romance “Testament of Youth,” which featured too much Oxford reverence for his liking. Elsewhere, Bradley Cooper’s fuller face is up for scrutiny, there’s an unexpected bit of advocacy from Jane Fonda, and Sienna Miller’s dark locks threaten to steal the gold in The Pootsition.

Preconception Corner

Reviews of:

American Sniper 10:40 – 22:24

Whiplash 22:25 – 37:21

My Old Lady 37:22 – 45:50

Testament of Youth 45:51 – 54:40

Wild 54:41 – 1:07:23

Closing Segment: Our reaction to the Oscar nominations, featuring discussion of the snubs, the race row, and the quality of the nominees as a whole!

We only have two films this week, but the episode is jam-packed, thanks to Sunday’s Golden Globe awards and the impending Oscar nominations. We discuss the highlights from the ceremony, and the impact of recent events on all of the major Oscar races, speculating whether Jennifer Aniston can really seal the deal, and if there’s any room for manoeuvre in that seemingly locked Supporting Actress lineup. Elsewhere, negative preconceptions concerning Steve Carell are tested when we review Bennett Miller’s “Foxcatcher,” and Pete’s far-from-impressed verdict on “Into the Woods” sees Cal and Irini scrambling to defend the Disney musical. The return of the Red Light District sees us chat about the days when Leos Carax was joyful, the banality of Adolf Eichmann, and Jean-Luc Godard’s contempt for iPhones, while Pete has his own bridges to burn with social media, and none of us are quite sure how to pronounce Isabel Coixet’s name.

The Week’s News:

The death of Anita Ekberg

The death of Francesco Rosi

The death of Samuel Goldwyn Jr

Isabel Coixet’s new film to open Berlin Film Festival

Opening Segment: Our review of Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, featuring reaction to the winners, the speeches, and of course the fashion!

This week’s episode is heavy on narcotics, as we discuss the pill-popping patients in Jean Marc Vallee’s “Dallas Buyers Club,” the coke-fuelled antics of the stockbrokers in Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and the hallucinogenic charms of indie Chilean adventure “Crystal Fairy.” We give our lengthy verdicts on this year’s Oscar nominations, offering our best and worst picks, speculating which films would have made the cut in the old-fashioned system, and discussing historical low points for the Academy. Tune in to find out how Mary Pickford bought her Oscar, whether Pete managed to finish a film this week, and why next week’s flock of facial hair spells disaster for Melvil.

Preconception Corner

Reviews of:

The Wolf of Wall Street

Crystal Fairy

Dallas Buyers Club

[10:40 – 43:10]

Closing Segment: Discussing the recently announced Oscar nominations, and speculating on the various races![43:40 – 1:09:20]